Wilinggin Fire Project

Wilinggin Fire Project is a Savanna Fire Management project located in the remote Kimberley region of Western Australia, along the Gibb River Road area. The nearest major town is Derby, situated approximately 200 to 300 kilometres to the southwest. Registered on February 11, 2014, the project spans an immense area of 1,072,723.56 hectares across the Wilinggin Indigenous Protected Area. The regional land use predominantly consists of traditional Indigenous land management, conservation, and cattle grazing on vast pastoral leases.

Savanna Fire Management projects involve strategic and planned burning of savanna areas during the early dry season. By intentionally introducing low-intensity fires early in the year, the project safely reduces built-up fuel loads. This prevents the occurrence and spread of severe, uncontrolled wildfires during the late dry season, significantly cutting down the volume of greenhouse gases, such as methane and nitrous oxide, that would otherwise be emitted by intense bushfires.

The central-north Kimberley environment is characterised by a monsoonal climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. The project encompasses both high-rainfall areas in the north and lower-rainfall semi-arid savanna zones further south. The rugged landscape features diverse soils, including shallow skeletal soils over ancient sandstone, sandy earths, and alluvial deposits near the region's prominent river systems and gorges.

The Wilinggin Fire Project is operated by the Wanjina-Wunggurr (Native Title) Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC, on behalf of the Ngarinyin Traditional Owners, with support from the Kimberley Land Council. The initiative actively blends traditional Indigenous ecological knowledge with modern scientific practices and western technology. Beyond environmental and carbon abatement benefits, funds generated from the sale of carbon credits are heavily reinvested into the community. It provides a sustainable source of funding for local ranger groups, such as the Wunggurr and Nyaliga Rangers, enabling them to protect vulnerable habitats, ancient rock art, and cultural sites from destructive wildfires while managing weeds and feral animals.